Author: David Great

The Federal Government has arraigned four suspects linked to notorious bandit leader Bello Turji on terrorism charges. The suspects, identified as Musa Muhammad Kamarawa, Abubakar Hashimu, also known as Doctor, Samuel Chinedu, and Lucky Chukwuma, appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. However, the accused individuals pleaded not guilty to the 11 counts filed against them, including accusations of their involvement in acts of terrorism. The Federal Government initially filed charges against eight individuals, including Bello Turji, who remains at large. Meanwhile, only the four defendants were present in court when the case…

Former Vice President and opposition leader Atiku Abubakar has expressed strong criticism of the 2025 federal budget, describing it as a continuation of “business-as-usual fiscal practices” that fail to address Nigeria’s deep-rooted economic challenges. In a post on X, Atiku highlighted the budget’s N48 trillion expenditure plan against a revenue projection of N35 trillion, leaving a deficit exceeding N13 trillion—representing 4% of the nation’s GDP. He lamented that this trend of deficit budgeting, compounded by heavy reliance on external borrowing, has persisted under the APC-led administration since 2016. To address the fiscal gap, the government plans to secure over N13…

The Federal Government has lifted the ban on mining exploration in Zamfara State. It said the decision was taken after a careful review of the security situation across the state. Recall that in 2019, the government under former President Muhammadu Buhari announced a complete ban on mining activities in Zamfara. In 2021, it also declared the state as a “no-fly zone’’ due to the prevailing insecurity in the state. But speaking in a statement issued by the minister’s special assistant on media, Segun Tomori, on Sunday, Alake stated that the security situation was assessed by the national security adviser and…

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has warned organizers of public events to prioritize safety and notify authorities in advance, following a tragic stampede at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Maitama, that left 10 people dead and eight injured. The incident occurred around 6:30 AM on Saturday during a food distribution event for vulnerable and elderly individuals. A crowd of over a thousand people had gathered, leading to a chaotic stampede. “A stampede ensued, resulting in the loss of 10 lives, including four children, and injuries to eight others. Four of the injured have been treated and discharged, while the…

Gabriel Jesus struck twice as Arsenal became the first side since Chelsea in 2005 to go a full calendar year unbeaten in Premier League  London derbies, defeating Crystal Palace 5-1 to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to three points for the time being. A hat-trick against Palace in a 3-2 EFL Cup victory on Wednesday earned Jesus a starting berth here, and it took just six minutes for him to reward Mikel Arteta’s selection. A first Premier League goal since January arrived when Bukayo Saka’s cross bounced off Gabriel Magalhães, allowing Jesus to stride towards the ball and…

US President, Joe Biden, signed a funding bill on Saturday, averting a Christmas-time government shutdown after negotiations in Congress went down to the wire overnight. Last-minute legislative wrangling was brought about by incoming president Donald Trump, who along with influential billionaire Elon Musk, pressured Republicans to abandon an earlier bipartisan funding compromise. Lawmakers then spent several days trying to hammer out another deal, with massive halts to government services hanging in the balance. With the Friday midnight deadline already expired by minutes, senators dropped normal procedure to fast-track the new package to a vote, funding the government to mid-March. “This…

Let us look at a few figures. Nigeria’s population is put at a little over 200 million people while the United Kingdom population is about 68 million. This means that the Nigerian population is about three (3) times that of the UK. As at June 2023, the UK banking system had about 49,421 Automatic Teller Machines and almost 2.3 million Point of Sales Terminals. By contrast, the Nigerian banking system had a little over 22,600 ATMS according to TechCabal and is projected to reach 29,000 by 2029 according to Statista. Conversely, Nigeria boasted 1,665,664 POS terminals as at December 2022.…

Amidst pomp and pageantry, the beautiful city of Osogbo witnessed a historic moment as Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, the Secretary to the Osun State Government, was installed as the new Bobagunwa of Osogbo. This grand occasion took place at the Ataoja’s palace, with His Royal Majesty, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji (Larooye II), the Ataoja of Osogbo, presiding over the ceremony. Teslim Igbalaye succeeds his late father, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Igbalaye, who was the pioneer Bobagunwa of Osogbo. The installation ceremony drew a massive crowd, with people from far and near gathering to witness the significant event. The Ataoja’s palace was filled with dignitaries,…

A court in Toronto, Canada, has rejected the asylum application of Nigerian politician Adams Omozakari Ayonote. Mr. Ayonote, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claimed his life was at risk in Nigeria due to multiple gunshot attacks he had survived. He also argued that if he returned to Nigeria, he would face violent persecution from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, the Refugee Protection Division (RPD) dismissed his application, citing a lack of credibility in his claims. The tribunal stated that Mr. Ayonote failed to substantiate his allegations of past attacks. “The RPD rejected the applicant’s…

Nigerian music heavyweights Asake and Rema have earned spots on former U.S. President Barack Obama’s 2024 playlist, a globally anticipated annual tradition. This year’s selection of Obama’s playlist reflects a rich blend of global sounds, featuring both established icons and rising stars across diverse genres. Among the highlights are “Active” by Nigerian Afrobeats star Asake in collaboration with Travis Scott, and “Yayo” by Rema, further solidifying Nigeria’s growing influence on the global music scene. Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” also made the cut, continuing her reign as a cultural powerhouse. The playlist balances energetic tracks like Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up” and…